DoJ Hosts Roundtable on Lawtech's Impact on Hong Kong's Legal Sector

DoJ holds first roundtable to promote sector's understanding of lawtech

The Department of Justice (DoJ) today (June 12) held the first round of LexGoTech Roundtable, engaging legal professionals from the Law Society of Hong Kong and the Small and Medium Law Firms Association of Hong Kong to explore the opportunities and challenges brought about by lawtech and artificial intelligence. The President of the Law Society of Hong Kong, Mr Roden Tong, also attended to support and delivered a speech to encourage the sector to actively participate in and promote the application of lawtech.

During the roundtable, participants exchanged views on the risks associated with the use of lawtech and discussed how to embrace the era of artificial intelligence through policies, hardware and software upgrades, and capability building. Member of the Consultation Group on LawTech Development and Executive Director of LITE Lab@HKU of the University of Hong Kong, Mr Brian Tang, shared the latest developments in the application of lawtech and artificial intelligence in legal services. LITE Lab@HKU is a new interdisciplinary and experiential programme led by the Faculty of Law and the Department of Computer Science of the University of Hong Kong, aimed at fostering the integration of law, innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship. Members of the Consultation Group, Ms Stephanie Siu, Mr Jonathan Voo, and Ms Sharyn Ch'ang, also participated in the roundtable and guided the group discussions.

The Deputy Secretary for Justice and Chairman of the Consultation Group, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan,said that the legal sector in Hong Kong is welcoming a new era, with lawtech reshaping the delivery of legal services. He said that lawtech will strengthen the long-term competitiveness of Hong Kong's legal professional services and solidify the city's position as the centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region.

The DoJ established the Consultation Group earlier this year, comprising representatives from the legal and dispute resolution sector, law schools and experts on lawtech applications, to explore ways to promote the integration of legal services and lawtech in Hong Kong, Dr Cheung added.

He also noted that, to further enhance the sector's understanding of the application of lawtech, the DoJ organised the roundtable following the Consultation Group's recommendations and plans to hold a series of related events this year. In the long term, the DoJ will promote the connection between lawtech service providers and legal practitioners, enhance the capabilities of legal professionals in lawtech, and disrupt traditional work models in the legal sector to create an ecosystem conducive to the development of lawtech in Hong Kong.

Dr Cheung also said that the DoJ has been sparing no effort to promote lawtech and support the development of online dispute resolution and transaction platforms. The DoJ has also launched the LawTech Fund and the Hong Kong Legal Cloud services to subsidise small and medium-sized law firms and chambers in enhancing their information technology capabilities, benefitting over 4 000 local legal professionals to date.

DoJ holds first roundtable to promote sector's understanding of lawtech Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

DoJ holds first roundtable to promote sector's understanding of lawtech Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

DoJ holds first roundtable to promote sector's understanding of lawtech Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

DoJ holds first roundtable to promote sector's understanding of lawtech Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

DoJ holds first roundtable to promote sector's understanding of lawtech Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

DoJ holds first roundtable to promote sector's understanding of lawtech Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes

An incoming passenger was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (January 13) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).

Customs officers intercepted the incoming male passenger, aged 29, at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (January 12), and seized 57 400 duty-not-paid cigarettes, with an estimated market value of $258,300 and a duty potential of about $190,000, from his personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested.

Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences.

Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, cigarettes are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).